Mladá Boleslav – ŠKODA #auto held a benefit concert yesterday in Prague’s Rudolfinum to mark its 30-year affiliation with the Volkswagen Group. Under the baton of renowned conductor Semjon Bychkov, the #czechphilharmonic Orchestra performed works by Antonín Dvořák, Petr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saëns und Alessandro Marcello. The fundraising campaign to support the bereaved families of victims who had fought the spread of the virus through aid organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic raised a total of more than 1.7 million crowns. ŠKODA #auto made a contribution of one million crowns. The concert was aired on the ŠKODA Storyboard as well as the car manufacturer’s official YouTube channel; the ČT art TV channel also broadcast the gala evening.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of ŠKODA #auto, says, “I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those involved in making the #czechphilharmonic Orchestra’s benefit concert possible, first and foremost the musicians led by principal conductor Semyon Bychkov and Česká televize for the online transmission and broadcast. This concert was not only a celebration of the 30-year
partnership between ŠKODA #auto and the Volkswagen Group but also raised a total of more than 1.7 million Czech crowns in donations for the families of those who lost their lives in the COVID-19 pandemic. I am grateful that at ŠKODA #auto, we were also able to contribute.”
The funds raised will support families of front-line workers in Czech social services who provided care to the elderly and people with disabilities and chronic illnesses and succumbed to COVID-19 in their service. In cooperation with the Association of Social Service Providers, the Via Foundation, the Czech Medical Chamber as well as the trade unions for medical professions, donations could be made transparently during the concert by text message or calling a dedicated call centre.
ŠKODA #auto supported the fundraising gala with a donation of one million crowns.
